Unmasked
by Razamataz22
Summary: Shirley was unable to gather the strength necessary to shoot Viletta, her choice however is one which will tear Area Eleven in half. The Emperor gives Lelouch two options, the first being death. The second option however is much worse.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

**...**

Shirley's breathing seemed to have stopped in an instant as she stared down the barrel of the gun, pointing the weapon at the man who had killed her father, the very same man who had captured her heart. She stood there, her hands shaking as she watched a trail of blood slip down Lelouch's face before Shirley dropped to her knees, her legs no longer able to sustain her own weight. Tears began to fall from her eyes as Villetta came walking onto the scene, a broad smile implanted upon her face. Here was her ticket back into the social grace that she needed, not only that but she would undoubtedly be given a rank even higher than before.

"Zero is a Britannian," she said in a light hearted chuckle, as if the grace of the world had just fallen on her lap. "A student was leading the terrorist force and what luck, it seems he is still alive. I must hand him over to General Governor Cornelia; I wonder what punishment awaits you." Standing at her full peak again, she turned around to talk to Shirley only to find that the orange haired girl was crying into her hands. Villetta may not have been a comforting person by any regard, however she knew that this girl broken before her needed some manner of reassurance.

"There, there," she said as she knelt beside Shirley, gently resting her hand on the girl's shoulder. Shirley's head lifted slightly, her tear soaked eyes looking deeply into Villetta's. "Learn from this, even those who you think you know most of all may turn out to be somebody completely different. Princess Cornelia will not let you go unrewarded for what you have done tonight."

Once again Shirley's head dropped into her hands, when she raised her head with her eyes red from crying, Lelouch no longer resided within the Knightmare cockpit. She tried to stand up, but her feet buckled beneath her and she crashed to the floor. When she looked up again, she found a pair of feet standing before her. Lifting her head, she found herself looking at a green haired woman with a communicator in her hand.

"Ohgi," she said speaking into the walkie talkie. "Issue the order to retreat and then tell everybody to rendezvous at section 12."

"_Section 12? Is something the matter?" _asked a voice from the other side.

"Possibly the worst thing which could have happened has occurred," stated the green haired woman. Her focus was now solely on Shirley who seemed to be shaking in fear before CC's foot connected squarely with the side of her head, knocking the schoolgirl out in an instant.

...

The order of the Black Knights stood around awkwardly, while a great deal of them had managed to escape, even the otherwise useless Tamaki, they had no leader to look up to. There had been no word of the enigmatic leader, which forced many people to fear for the worst. Kallen was the one who seemingly was the most shaken up, having had her belief in Zero so solidified it was as if nothing could possibly go wrong. Yet here they were, and Zero had not made an appearance.

"Kallen," said CC from nearby, forcing the red haired girl to look up. "Come with me." Kallen could only nod slowly as she began to follow her feet, unsure as to where CC was taking her. Out of everybody in the dark knights, the only person she knew less of than Zero was CC. For the longest of time Zero had kept her hidden out of the fray, as if protecting her which caused Kallen to question whether or not CC had any connection to Zero outside of the Black Knights. She didn't voice her opinion however, as now was not the time in which such a thing would be appropriate.

To Kallen, it was almost a surreal feeling. Zero had been her guiding light for what had seemed like an eternity, yet it was not that long ago that he had first contacted her and then met with them upon the train. What had turned into a fable like dream scenario had become a reality, yet the truth of it all was, without their leader...who were the Black Knights?

"We're here," announced CC and it was only then that Kallen realised just how long they had been walking. CC now stood in front of a door, usually reserved for cleaning supplies and the like, yet with a number of brooms and mops throw across the floor it was obvious that it was being used for something different tonight. To what purpose, she feared she was about to find out.

"What's in here?" asked Kallen, looking at the green haired woman expectantly, wondering as to why she alone had been brought over here.

"A person, who had been at the site of Zero being taken away, a person who saw Zero's face," explained CC which caused Kallen's eyes to go wide for a number of reasons. For starters, for somebody to have actually seen the face of Zero was something that could not be taken lightly under any circumstance. The more troubling part was that CC had seen that this person had seen who Zero was and did nothing to prevent him from being taken away, either that or she had already forced the information out of them. "I want you to talk to them Kallen, it would be what Zero would want," said CC as she gripped the handle.

Kallen swallowed, as the door swung open, her imagination running wild with who this person could possibly be. The last person she expected however was a fellow member of the Ashford Student Council. The orange haired girl looked up at her, a small trail of dried blood covering the side of her face from when CC had kicked her. As soon as her eyes made contact, Kallen could instantly see the pleading desperation within them. "K-Kallen?" she said with a quivering voice, unsure whether or not the girl in front of her was her saving grace, or the fact that she was wearing the uniform of one of the Black Knights meant that Villetta had been right in not knowing those close to you. "I-Is that really you?"

Words struggled to come to Kallen's mouth as she took in the situation. If what CC had said was true, that meant that Shirley had seen the face of Zero, not only that but had seen him get taken away. Did the schoolgirl have any part to play in Zero's capture, or was she used as somebody's pawn? Kallen heard the door close behind her, trapping her within the small confines with her babbling schoolmate. Yet what was she meant to say? This person had grown into becoming her friend to the point where they helped each other corner the now famous Arthur in the school building.

"It is me Shirley," she said slowly, unable to make direct eye contact with the fellow student.

"Why are you with the Black Knights?" shouted Shirley, seeming to have gotten back some of her confidence. Kallen took a step back at the harshness within Shirley's words before she resumed her prior stature.

"My name is Kohzuki Kallen, Stadtfeld is my father's name," she said with refreshed composure.

"So you're half eleven?" asked Shirley, already knowing the answer.

"No, I'm half Japanese," stated Kallen and for a moment Shirley smiled at the statement.

"Somehow, this all make sense now," said Shirley. "With you being away sick for days at a time you were really here with Lulu."

"Lulu...What are you talking about?" asked Kallen thinking that Shirley had snapped.

"Don't play dumb with me, I saw him, I saw that Lulu is Zero!" shouted Shirley as tears once again began to stream down her eyes. Kallen's expression dropped as the revelation hit her harder than any bullet could.

"Lelouch...is Zero?" she repeated, unsure whether to believe the words coming out of her mouth. From outside the door, CC had heard the conversation between the two girls and as she looked towards the roof, she knew that everything was about to change.

...

"Guys, you have to listen to this," said Tamaki, a small transportable radio by his side.

"We're not in the mood for your rock junk," retorted one of the newer members of the Black Knights.

"It's not that," said Tamaki as he turned up the volume.

"_...If I Didn't see it for myself I wouldn't believe it,"_ said the broadcasting voice. "_To think that I'm only metres away from one who could only be known as one of Britannia's greatest enemies. Kneeling before me ladies and gentlemen...is Zero."_

"Someone get a television in here working this instant!" commanded Ohgi and in a single moment the entire warehouse came to life.

...

For Lelouch, his conscious returned at an incredibly sow rate, due to the fact that a number of drugs had been dumped into his system to prevent him from doing nearly anything. His eyelids were heavy, as if he needed to sleep for hours on end. Lifting his head, even through his mask he could see at least a dozen bright lights shining at him. However it was not the lights that created the seriousness of the situation...but rather the number of camera lenses spaced evenly in front of him. He tried to move but his arms were chained behind him and his feet were shackled to the floor. The position was evident, he was kneeling before the cameras as if to show that Britannia conquered all. He was going to be unmasked on live television!

"Ladies and gentlemen," said a voice from nearby and Lelouch turned his head to see one of Cornelia's knights standing beside him, the name of which eluded him. "I give you, Zero."

From behind, Lelouch could feel a pair of hands grip the base of the helmet and begin to lift. "STOP IT!" shouted Lelouch but to no avail as his face was assaulted by the flashes of what seemed like a thousand cameras, the light blinding as his identity was revealed.

Zero had been unmasked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

**...**

Lelouch winced in pain as his face crashed with the ice water, his head once again held underwater as his oxygen supply ran out only for him to be spared so that the punishment could continue. This process had gone on for the latter part of an hour, the Britannian torture experts simply wanted to make the boy suffer. In each corner of the room stood an armed guard, their machine guns pointed and loaded at the criminal, despite the fact his hands were still clasped behind his back.

Through a one way mirror, Cornelia watched with a sense of satisfaction as her brother's killer was put through vicious scenes of torture. After the media had left, she had commanded everybody else to leave the viewing chamber so she could witness this by herself. Yet despite having vengeance, she couldn't help but be feel a little awkward watching a fellow Britannian go through such suffering, especially when he looked familiar for one reason or another. There were so many questions she knew would soon be asked, such as to why he turned against Britannia in the first place and who was supplying the Dark Knights with weapons.

Her gaze dropped down for a moment to look at the helmet within her hands, as if it was a trophy. As her hands rubbed across the backside of the helmet, her finger seemed to trigger a switch and immediately a small gap opened up in the mask. For a second Cornelia just stared at it before flipping it around in her hands so that she was looking from Zero's point of view and was able to see that this hole was right where the left eye would be. Her thoughts upon why he would have an eyehole in an otherwise see through mask baffled her, it would be one of the questions she would bring up later that morning.

Lowering the helmet, she opted to save the questions for later as a man approached Zero, stomping on his back and driving him forward, his torso connecting with the bucket and sending ice water in all directions. Zero struggled back onto his knees before numerous punches to the face had him swinging from side to side. He collapsed to the side only to be picked up by the hair, the following hit breaking his nose and causing blood to hover in the air momentarily before splashing to the ground.

Placing the helmet on a nearby desk, she turned away knowing this procedure would carry on in numerous ways for hours on end, well into when the morning rays of sunlight crept over the city. As she vanished into the darkness, she didn't see her men start shooting one another in what appeared to be a group suicide which painted the walls red. As for Zero, he growled in pain and exhaustion, blood dripping from his nose as he realised he may have just made one of the biggest mistakes imaginable just to escape the pain.

...

For those who had not seen the groundbreaking news in the middle of the night, there was no way that they could miss it in the morning. Upon the front page of every newspaper, on the bulletin of every morning television news there were similar pictures and clips of a young Britannian boy being discovered as the face behind Zero. Across the nation and across the globe, people were glued to their television sets as they repeatedly witnessed what was a defining moment in Britannian history. Upon the throne of Britannia, Charles zi Britannia, the 98th emperor of the holy nation, watched the escapade over and over before a small smirk graced his lips, confusing many of those who were with him at the time. "It would seem that the game has gotten a lot more interesting," he mused which only served to confuse those within earshot even further. Gracefully, he got up from his chair causing those near him to bow respectfully as he left the room. His brother needed to be told of this information immediately.

Closer to home however, the members of Kyoto sat around without any sound being made between them. They had lost one of their most valuable assets in the war against Britannia but that then raised the question as to whether or not they should still keep supporting the Order of the Black Knights. Lord Kirihara was one of those whose face lost its usual serenity at the sight of the young prince being unmasked, having intended to keep his identity secret until the very day he died. Lady Kaguya was one of those worst effected within the area, her belief in the masked man known as Zero had become unparalleled within their own group. To see that the one they had been following to be none other than a member of the society they were fighting was unnerving to say the least, yet despite all that it gave them hope. Hope that not all of Britannians followed Britannian rule.

Inside the Ashford Academy student council room, nobody dared speak a word. Only two of the members were there that morning, Milly and Nina. For Milly, she knew the reason as to why Lelouch hated Britannia, but the thought of him actually going out and becoming such an icon as Zero was not comforting. Her eyes drifted away from the television set towards the small little household where Lelouch and Nunnally lived and wondered what the young princess was doing now. Her eyes than drifted around the nearly empty room, Milly's mind wondering as to why neither Kallen nor Shirley were here although the longer she thought about it the more their absence the more it made sense. Rivalz not being there was understandable; the blue haired boy would have been gutted by this information, not to mention his parents would not let him out of the house under any circumstances with the latest revelation on his best friend. As for the Honorary Britannian Suzaku, Milly was sure that his own safety would be jeopardized with the current situation, having been the one Lelouch rescued when he first made his appearance as the masked vigilante.

"Milly-san," said Nina nervously, unsure of what to believe. The student president wished for her friend to say more but nothing escaped the girl's lips. In reality, there was nothing she could truly say. Taking the initiative, Milly walked towards Nina, her footsteps smaller and lighter than usual before she wrapped her arms around Nina comfortingly. For now, that's all that they could do.

Across the grounds however, it was a similar story as Nunnally faced the window, small tears trickling down from her closed eyes. She didn't need to have seen the television in order to hear her brother's pleading voice; Sayoko had been the one to confirm her fears however. To her, everything now made sense. The fact that her brother was always away these days and didn't return until late at night, it was as if he had been planning this behind her back for so long. Yet whenever the two talked, Lelouch had been the brother she had remembered and loved. What had happened to him?

"Nunnally!" said a voice from behind her and a small gasp escaped her lips. The voice was one incredibly familiar to her but she was worried for the Honorary Britannian's safety.

"Suzaku, what are you doing here?" asked Nunnally, a small glimmer of shock hidden within her voice. Thankfully she was unable to see the dark rims around Suzaku's eyes, the boy having stayed awake all throughout the night. When he had discovered that it was his best friend behind the mask of his greatest enemy, sleep had not come to him in any shape or form.

"Now that morning has come, Lelouch will be interrogated," said Suzaku as he gripped Nunnally's hand. "When they realise what school he is from they will use every time of leverage to get as much information out of him as possible, that even means you."

"You read us well bastard," came a cold voice from the door which caused Suzaku to freeze with shock. Turning around he shielded Nunnally with his arms, starring at the doorway to find Darlton standing there. "Personally, I don't like this way of interrogation, but for one such as Zero...extreme measures need to be put in place."

"Suzaku-san, what's happening?" asked Nunnally, reaching out blindly for Suzaku's hand.

"Captain Darlton, you followed me," growled Suzaku, realising what had happened.

"Indeed," said Darlton as a grin spread across his face, three armoured guards behind him with their weapons at the ready. "I told you last night boy, that I use anybody who was useful. As of the moment, you just became one of the most useful pieces imaginable. For now though, you're no longer needed soldier, stand down."

"I can't do that sir," said Suzaku, willing to sacrifice himself in order to save Nunnally. What neither of the two men expected however was for Nunnally to roll forward, her fingers graciously sliding over the controls of her motorised wheelchair. There were a number of audible clicks as the men readied their weapons, despite the fact that their target was a blind and crippled girl.

"Captain Darlton, I Nunnally vi Britannia, daughter of Queen Marianne, order you and your men to stand down this instance," she said, authority written through her voice. Darlton's mind replayed the words over in his mind a couple of times before his eyes went wide as the realisation of who was sitting before him really was. The lost princess Nunnally, the girl who had been sent with her brother to Japan despite being unable to walk or see. The very thought that that girl still survived to this day was astounding, yet with what he saw and heard he had no doubt of this within her mind. In an instant, he dropped to his knee and lowered his head, the men behind him doing the same.

"Princess Nunnally, to think that you were alive all this time," he said with a sense of happiness within his voice. He lowered his head slightly to find that Suzaku was still standing. "You Eleven bastard, why do you not show respect for the princess!" he barked causing spit to flow from his mouth like venom.

"Lord Kururugi is under my protection," said Nunnally, her voice calm and disposed.

"You knew...you knew all along!" said Darlton trying to contain his rage.

"I asked him to keep my identity a secret," stated Nunnally which silenced Darlton. He was quick though as another question quickly sprang to mind.

"What of prince Lelouch, is he still alive?" asked the commanding officer.

"Indeed he is alive, and you shall take me to him this instant," said Nunnally stamping her authority.

"That's all well and good your highness, but I don't know where he is," said Darlton confused by her statement.

"Captain, my brother is Zero."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

**...**

Darlton marched forward, Suzaku standing behind him with Nunnally by his side, the faithful maid Sayoko carrying Lelouch's sister as the wheelchair was just too cumbersome for this kind of thing. Behind them stood the three soldiers who had accompanied Darlton on this journey, each having taken to this new revelation with a sense of urgency. A few of the students who had braved the news and gone to school that day watching the marching with uncertainty, even those up in the student council room looked on. While Nina was fretting over what fate had in store for Nunnally, Milly had a look of distaste on her face. While the young scientist next to her had no knowledge of who Nunnally truly was, Milly feared she had failed the task set before her. As a single tear slid down her eye, she was upset that she hadn't been able to keep her promise.

Down below, Darlton looked over his shoulder at the young princess who was riding upon her maid's back as if she was a young child. While undignified, the fact that at the current stage Nunnally was merely a student and nothing more to the general eye yet beneath all that she was one of the greatest secrets the country had ever held. For that reason it would be most likely that the young princess would soon return to the capital, whether or not she wanted to would not be one of the questions asked.

Darlton could not help but admire the courage the princess had shown, after having been well hidden for the better part of seven years to step out into the open in order to prevent further damage from being done to her brother. Even so, the crimes he had committed against Britannia would not vanish and Darlton would be surprised if Lelouch wasn't executed for the damage he had caused. He had lost count of the number of allies which had fallen to the Black Knights, the number likely to rise if the rebellion chose to act in an attempt to rescue their leader. He knew if anything, this was not the end of the bloodshed in Area Eleven, but rather the beginning of a new chapter.

"Get in," he commanded as he opened the passenger door to the limousine they had used to arrive, the entourage having gotten to the edge of the school grounds. Sayoko gently placed Nunnally on the leather seat, her eyes focused on Darlton wondering if the Britannian was going to do anything suspicious. Suzaku had taken this time to walk over to the other side of the limousine and let himself in, helping Nunnally into the middle as Sayoko sat next to the member of royalty. With the doors closed securely, Darlton hopped into the front passenger side as the driver looked at him awkwardly, the rest of the squad filing into the other vehicle.

"Sir, who are these?" asked the soldier.

"Shut up and drive," commanded Darlton, keeping his eyes focused ahead of him. The soldier didn't need to be told twice as he switched on the ignition.

...

"So what, you just want to leave him there?" shouted Ohgi, his voice carrying through the entire hanger.

"It's better than charging into a Britannian fortress for some Britannian scum," replied one of the more recent recruits. The night had come and gone, not one of the members of the Black Knights had left, opting to stay together so that they could plan a counter attack. Tamaki had also taken the initiative and locked the only way out with a solid padlock, ensuring that nobody could leave even if they wanted to.

"There was always a possibility that he wasn't Japanese," said Ohgi not trying to give away the fact that he knew that Zero hadn't come from their home country. "Why do you think he hid behind a mask? If we found out who was leading us who knows what would have happened, we would likely never have even gotten here if it wasn't for him."

"If it hadn't been for him I never would have joined the rebellion," shouted another member, their voice followed by many others who agreed in the statement.

"Let us out of here, let us go home because as far as I'm concerned, the Black Knights are finished!" stated another member, their voice filled with a commanding tone. Kallen watched from the side as she saw the start of a rebellion within a rebellion form, knowing full well that if they didn't get what they want some of the members would likely try and seize power. Nearby Shirley sat out of sight being carefully guarded by CC, the witch unsure of how she should go from the current situation.

Ohgi looked at the mass of people in front of him, twenty four hours earlier all of them had been loyal to the Black Knights, now however they wanted to leave while they were still alive. Zero had been a symbol of hope, and now that he had been forcibly removed from the picture it was as if there was nobody left to carry the miniature army. Ohgi sighed as the masses kept chanting for freedom, only a handful not voicing their opinion and choosing to stay silent on the matter. "Tamaki," he said, his voice showing the signs of defeat. "Open the door."

Tamaki at first thought he was hearing things but when he saw the look in Ohgi's eye he knew that this was the only option which prevented the people around them to seek out their own form of retribution against those who brought them into this mess. With a resounding click, the door was opened as a flood of people swarmed out into the open. Those that remained loyal watched as their forces dwindled into effectively nothing, barely a handful of the Black Knights remained. "It was fun while it lasted," said Diethard as he neared the door.

"You're going as well?" asked Tamaki.

"I go where the news is, clearly there is nothing here now unless you want me to film your final stand before a suicide battle," said Diethard not even bothering to make eye contact with those around him.

"Why you little..."

"Let it go Tamaki," commanded Ohgi, his voice carrying very little power as it reached his long time friend. Tamaki's fist clenched before he looked away; his resolve faltering as he too began to realise that this would likely be the end of their group. As Diethard left, closing the door behind him, the remaining members of the Dark Knights looked amongst one another wondering what they had left. As nervous glances travelled from person to person, one couldn't help but wonder if there was any future left for the group.

"What now?" asked Minami, his voice dry and raspy. "We've lost too much to go back now."

Ohgi opened his mouth to answer but no words came out, he had no solid answer to give him. From her spot, Shirley looked across at the twenty odd remaining members from her hiding spot, wondering if it had been her actions which had both destroyed the rebellion and sent her love to his death.

...

Lelouch sat within the confines of his new prison, two guards standing on the edge of the bars as solid concrete walls surrounded him on either side with his hands firmly sealed behind his back, the straightjacket he wore was unrelenting. After coming back to the last holding block to find all of the men massacred, Cornelia had ordered for Zero to be moved to an isolated prison cell as they worked out just what had happed around their captive. The number one assumption at the moment was that there had been a mole within the guards standing over Zero and on his orders had shot the other three soldiers whilst getting shot in the process.

The sound of footsteps caused Lelouch to raise his head if only slightly. "The prisoner is receiving no visitors," said one of the guards to the nearing person.

"Don't be like that, I just want to chat is all," said Lloyd, his distinctive voice catching Lelouch's attention. From the sound of it there was no malice behind it or any cruel intentions which made Lelouch wonder what business this man had down here.

"Were you sent here by someone?" asked the other guard.

"If I were to tell you then I would ruin my chance of getting any information out of Zero now wouldn't I," said Lloyd which caused the two guards to look at one another before there was a silent defeat as the professor placed a chair he had been carrying in front of the prison bars.

"If you try any funny business we have orders to shoot you without question," warned one of the guards. "You got two minutes."

"My, my, how scary," commented Lloyd as he focused his attention on the prisoner. Lelouch quickly contemplated about using his Geass but with the two guards standing nearby not making any eye contact his secret would quickly be revealed.

"What do you want?" asked Lelouch as the professor adjusted his glasses.

"That's a harsh way to treat your guest, at least the last prisoner I spoke to was kind enough to be polite when he spoke back," said Lloyd. "You should know that prisoner, after all you were the one who took the blame of Clovis' death off his shoulders."

"You talked to Suzaku?" questioned Lelouch.

"Aha, you actually know him," said Lloyd successfully. "Many of us thought you were doing it merely as a statement but it appears that you actually knew him before you took the bridge hostage." Lelouch didn't say anything as he realised his emotions had betrayed him in that instant and that information would likely be used against not only him but put Suzaku in danger. While the professor didn't seem like the kind of person who would tell anybody what he knew, the same couldn't be said about the two guards that stood nearby listening in to every word. Lelouch's eyes focused as he realised that he was going to have to be very careful about when he chose to speak and what he could say.

"My, my, what a fierce look," observed Lloyd. "I imagine that if you gave that look to your subordinates they would be more than willing to obey your command, given that you actually showed your appearance to your knights. That would defeat the purpose though I assume, because information would be leaked one way or another, especially the fact that you weren't an Eleven." Lelouch sat in silence and said nothing as Lloyd's eyes picked up where this was going. "You don't have to be so stuffy with me."

"It's not you I'm worried about," said Lelouch coldly, tilting his head into the direction of one of the guards.

"I see your point," said Lloyd, not making any reference to the guards from where he was sitting. "You're being a lot more social than I would have imagined however, a leader such as yourself would usually only have spoken down at me but that makes me believe that your reasons for becoming a leader weren't malicious in content." The shift in Lelouch's eyes was all the insight Lloyd needed to know that he had hit the target on the head. As he opened his mouth to continue, he was interrupted by one of the guards.

"Time's up, get out of here," he commanded.

"Already?" whined Lloyd but when he saw the loaded weapon point at him he knew that he wasn't going to be able to bargain his way out of this one. "Fine, fine, I'm going," he said as he picked up his chair. One final glance was sent in Lelouch's direction, a small smirk across his face which intimidated Lelouch for some reason. As Lloyd was marched out of sight, Lelouch's head dropped, knowing that the next group of people that came to visit him would be using a lot harsher method of interrogation.

...

Cornelia stood in front of the bloodied mess, the bodies being photographed by investigators as she pondered just how Zero had managed to infiltrate one of his own men into her own guards. Yet at the same time her calculative mind pondered over the odds that one of the four men out of the hundreds she had at her disposal, the one that was under Zero's power had been sent to guard his leader. The chances of that to actually occur seemed too slim, however that was the only possibility to go off at the moment without any other theories to go off. It made her wonder if there were more traitors within her midst and how it would be possible to discover who they were without risking more of her own men.

"What are your orders?" asked Guilford, standing obediently by his princess' side.

Cornelia remained silent for a moment before her eyes focused, knowing that the only way to get the information she needed was through Zero himself. "The lash," she said in a controlled temper as Guilford bowed and walked away, his orders clear.

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Worker72: From memory Clovis only remembered Lelouch because Lelouch told him that they use to play together in the imperial villa. As for Euphie she figured it out through Lelouch's actions, not by sight.**

**Alex Retzer: Why don't I use page breaks like most people? I didn't even realise there was a difference. As for whether or not the island reunion has happened yet or not, at this stage it hasn't occurred.**

**Peace out and please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm on vacation but I had a long car tip so I thought...why not write another chapter. Here's the result.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

...

"Please, let me see Zero," begged Euphemia as she tried her best to get past the guards who stood in front of her door. During the whole commotion surrounding Zero's capture she had been asleep, oblivious to everything that was going on within the area. When she had woken however, she had become determined to get to him to see whether her theory on who Zero was was correct.

"I'm sorry princess, the Governor-General has specifically stated that you are not permitted to leave until such a time as we have deemed Zero to be harmless, already some of our own men have been killed while standing guard over him," explained one of the guards.

"But...but..."

"You'll have to take this up with the Governor-General," said the other guard, figuring that the princess merely wanted to see the person who had murdered her brother. Admitting defeat, Euphemia closed the door, barricading herself within the confines of her room as she rushed to the nearby computer, knowing full well that if the masked vigilante had been unmasked then his face would likely have been leaked over the internet. It didn't take long until she found what she was after and as her hands clasped over her mouth in shock she returned to the door, determined to make her way past the guards for family's sake.

...

"We're here," stated Darlton as he stepped out of the vehicle quickly followed by Suzaku and Sayoko who reached into the car and grabbed the prone form of Nunnally, cradling the fragile girl in her arms. "We best hurry."

"Sir Darlton, are these the prisoners you brought?" asked one of the guards standing outside the door to the central building, aiming his weapon at the three unknown people.

"Stand down!" commanded Darlton, his voice radiating authority as the guard swallowed nervously, unsure of what he did wrong. "Let us in immediately."

"The building is under lockdown, nobody is permitted to enter or leave under any given circumstance unless permitted by the Governor-General herself," said the guard nervously, fearing the wrath the Darlton would likely unleash upon him. Yet it would not be Cornelia's finest soldier who would make the first move as Suzaku suddenly found himself holding Nunnally.

It took a total of three seconds before the guards unconscious body slumped against the wall of the building, the access card to get in held tightly within Sayoko's hand. "Nunnally, remind me never to get on Sayoko's bad side," Suzaku asked of his long time friend.

"Let us hurry, master Lelouch is waiting for us," said Sayoko as she tossed the key card to Darlton who plucked it out of midair before she took Nunnally back from Suzaku.

"What just happened?" asked Nunnally, unsure of what had just occurred.

"I shouldn't be surprised that people of such skill still exist and if this were any other situation I would shoot you where you stand," growled Darlton. "Know this though, if you so much as think of injuring princess Cornelia I will be your interrogator, and I will not go lightly on you."

"My concern is only for the safety of master Lelouch," said Sayoko as Darlton swiped entry into the building, the small party moving forward with due haste. The corridors were lifeless as the four people moved forward with only the intent on making their way to wherever Lelouch was being held.

"Captain Darlton!" saluted a nearby guard as he saw his superior officer walking towards him.

"Where is Zero being held?" asked Darlton.

"In the cells beneath the palace," stated the guard. "Should I call for backup to assist you in taking these prisoners to their cells?"

"They are not prisoners!" stated Darlton flatly as he turned away, leading the small group forward much to the guards confusion. The commander of the guards moved with purpose as he headed towards the dungeons, throwing a glance over his shoulder at Nunnally, the young girl having a concentrated look on her face despite her eyes being sealed closed. Whether or not she wished to see her sister in Cornelia again, Darlton couldn't tell but now that medical technology had advanced since the time when she had lost her sight, it could now be possible for her sight to be restored. There was no one hundred percent guarantee that it would work but he was certain that the emperor would do everything in his power to ensure that Nunnally was well looked after.

"Let me through, please!" shouted a female voice from nearby which Darlton recognised immediately. Leading the group on a small detour, he turned a nearby corner and found princess Euphemia held tightly within the grasp of two guards who were doing their best to refrain the pink haired girl from progressing further.

"Release the princess immediately," he commanded to which the two guards looked at him with confused expressions.

"But sir..."

"Do it!"

"Right away," saluted both the guards, sweating bullets as they did so. Euphie quickly shook off the hands of the guards who had been holding her.

"Thank you captain," said Euphemia as she surveyed the people standing behind him. "Suzaku, what are you doing here?"

"Long story," said Suzaku, "But here's somebody who you should recognise."

"Is that...Nunnally?" asked the pink haired princess.

"Sister Euphie," said the blind girl, extending her arms out for Euphemia to grip, intertwining their fingers.

"Nunnally, it's so good to see you," said Euphemia, struggling to prevent herself from crying.

"I wish I could say the same," said Nunnally, wishing that she could spend an eternity with her sister but knew that there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Princess Euphemia, what are you doing here?" asked Darlton.

"I believe that Zero is somebody of great importance and if I'm correct..."

"You are," stated Suzaku. When he had discovered who the man behind the mask had been his only concerns originally were for that of Nunnally, however now that he was closing towards the infamous criminal he caught himself thinking. Lelouch was a gambler, that much he knew of and knew well, yet the greater questions came with how much money did he personally contribute to funding the Black Knights. How were his records not being tracked, how had he managed to avoid the eye of security for as long as he did? How did he manage to get his hands on as many Knightmares the day that Suzaku first stepped into the pilot seat of the Lancelot? How much blood rested on his best friend's hands? These questions he knew needed to be answered.

"So Lelouch is alive then," declared Euphemia.

"You knew princess?" asked Darlton.

"I...figured it out."

"I hate to interrupt this little conversation but I believe we should keep moving," said Sayoko, worrying for Lelouch's safety. Her words seemed to make everybody in the vicinity remember the reason why they had been in such a rush.

"Let's go," commanded Darlton as the group once again descended towards the cells, passing a number of guards who either remained silent or were forced into silence by harsh words from their superior officer. It did not take long for them to reach their destination, finding the other member of the royal family standing in front of a single cell.

"Darlton, what is the meaning of this?" asked Cornelia, looking at the crew surrounding one of her strongest soldiers.

"Your highness, we know of Zero's identity," declared Darlton.

"It's true," seconded Euphie.

"Please where is my brother?" asked Nunnally, still held tightly within Sayoko's arms.

"Your brother..." said Cornelia taking in the information, a cruel smirk spreading across her lips which forced Suzaku to stand protectively in front of Nunnally. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Protecting your sister!" declared Suzaku with force, not caring about the consequences of his actions.

"My sister...Nunnally?" questioned Cornelia as she stepped closer to the blind girl. For the longest of time she had refused to believe that her sibling had been alive, having been told my Queen Marianne herself to leave her be the night of her death. For the longest of time, she had remembered the frightened look upon Nunnally's face, one of the few reasons which had forced her to take up her role as a soldier of Britannia. For a moment, Cornelia doubted whether or not the woman in front of her was indeed her sister but all doubt was erased from her mind as she looked at the girl's legs. From the angle that she was being carried, her dress had been pulled up ever so slightly and she could see that her legs were littered with scars from bullet wounds long since inflicted.

"Sister Cornelia," said Nunnally as Cornelia gripped her hand.

"You're alive, I don't believe it," said Cornelia as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. As she edged ever closer to hug her sister, she recalled the first words that had fallen out of Nunnally's mouth. "Your brother!" Twisting her head, she stared into the prison cell that held another lost sibling. Everybody's gaze shifted ever so slowly and many were thankful that Nunnally was unable to see the pain that had been inflicted upon her brother. With his hands tied above his head, his feet dangled off the floor by a foot as he twisted slowly from side to side. His shirt lay discarded on the floor along with his straightjacket. Upon his back was the horrific sight of two dozen fresh cuts made by the whip the torturer had been carrying, his back bathed in blood to the point where it was difficult to see any unblemished skin.

"Brother," said Euphie with her hands clasped over her mouth, soon finding herself within the comforting arms of Suzaku.

"Lelouch," said Cornelia as she gripped the bars of the cell, her knuckles going white as she summoned guards to let her long lost brother down from his confines. As the fallen prince was placed on the ground, the princess entitled the 'Goddess of Victory' was unsure whether she should be happy or sad knowing that while her brother was alive and well, he was also the nation's worst enemy.

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Astrocitizen: If I had any idea what that Code-Gryphon thing was I'd look it up.**

**Honestliar33: If you want to facebook chat with me I do have an account for my fanfiction account under the name of Razamataz Twentytwo.**

**Until next time, peace out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

**...**

It was mildly ironic as the man they had just been torturing for information lay on the medical bed as surgeons went about stitching up his wounds as best as they could. One of the doctors wondered if he could get away with 'accidentally' injecting a lethal injection into the teenager's veins but a stern look from Darlton who stood in the corner reassured him that such an action would have devastating consequences. The doctors had been spared the details as to why they were fixing such an infamous criminal when only minutes before he had been in the middle of a torture session but they knew better than to ask, especially when the orders came from Princess Cornelia herself.

As for where the princess was during this time, she was seated in a nearby room having trusted Darlton with the task of watching over her long lost brother for the time being. Sitting by her side was her sister Euphemia who was intently staring at their other sister Nunnally, the blind girl unsure of what was currently going on. Cornelia had been informed by Darlton minutes earlier that her sister knew that her brother was Zero, the murderer of Clovis. Despite that, it was not an easy conversation to bring forth into light, yet she didn't need to realise as her sibling was the first to speak. "Before you say anything, I must tell you that I had no knowledge that nii-san was Zero," said Nunnally.

"That's reassuring Nunnally," said Euphemia, smiling slightly at the sound of Nunnally's voice. Unlike her sister, Euphemia had believed that the blind girl was Nunnally almost instantly; having known that Zero was Lelouch there weren't many other options in why a blind and crippled girl would be brought in. Cornelia turned her attention to the doorway, knowing full well that her Knight Guilford was standing on the other side with Nunnally's maid Sayoko and Suzaku. "Nee-sama," said Euphemia, regaining her sister's attention.

"Yes Euphie," said Cornelia, seemingly snapping back into reality.

"I think after all this blows over we need to go on a holiday," suggested the pink haired princess.

"A holiday?" repeated Cornelia.

"Somewhere small and isolated where you, me, Nunnally and Lelouch can catch up on old times," said Euphemia with a smile gracing her lips. Cornelia smiled for her sister's sake but knew that things would not be that simple. Under the guise of Zero, Lelouch had openly admitted to the world that he had murdered Clovis. The penalty for killing one of noble birth was death in its own right, not to mention the amount of people both civilian and military which had suffered because of what Zero had caused. The final decision in his fate ultimately didn't rest with Cornelia but with their father the emperor who had stated only months earlier that from Clovis' death would the country be able to push forward, as such she doubted little mercy would be shown for a son long since lost.

"Nunnally, why have you remained hidden all this time?" Cornelia asked of her sister. "Surely it would have been simple to get a letter to the capital and have inquiries made."

"I was happy with nii-san," said Nunnally, smiling slightly as she fumbled around in front of her where she knew a cup of tea was located. It took her a few seconds but eventually her petite fingers gripped the ceramic handle and she was able to lift the drink to her lips. "We didn't want to be found, we were happy together."

"Still, to think that father would openly wage war against the country where he was aware two of his children still lived," said Euphemia deep in thought. Cornelia took these words into play and couldn't help but wonder if after Lelouch's actions in standing up to the emperor all those years ago if whether or not the emperor meant to kill his son or if Lelouch was merely an afterthought. The more she thought about it, the more she began to realise why her brother would take up the mask of Britannia's greatest enemy.

"What will happen with nii-san and myself now?" asked Nunnally, placing her teacup back down on the table.

"In the right mind, it is most likely that you will be sent back to the mainland to see whether or not your sight can be restored," said Cornelia trying to think rationally. "After that it is most likely that you will continue your education so that you may grow up to become a ruler in your own right."

"And nii-san..."

Cornelia went to speak but the words got caught in her mouth, unable to form any motion of speech. Having just reacquainted with her sister, she didn't have the stomach to tell her that their father would undoubtedly send him to his death in a public fashion. Her silence however was enough for Nunnally to understand.

"I see," she said softly.

"It's okay Nunnally, I'm sure if we tell father..." said Euphemia, trying to raise her sister's hopes.

"Only time will tell," said Cornelia, her voice seemingly raising to that of her commander tone. Even to her, the thought of losing one close to her was harsh and it made her sick to her stomach knowing that he was currently being treated for wounds that she had issued the command to be dealt. If they pleaded with the Emperor to the best of their ability the best deal they would likely get offered would be life imprisonment, yet even this was a dangerous thought. Cornelia had no doubt that at the moment the Dark Knights were sitting in their shelter somewhere, waiting for the opportunity to make their move against the empire. "For the moment, we must keep Lelouch's identity a secret as long as we can until we speak to the emperor. If the general population were to learn that the enemy of Britannia was once an heir to the throne it would throw the world into turmoil."

"What do you mean?" asked Euphemia.

"Those who uprise against the empire will see this as a sign, knowing that even members of the royal family wish to see the throne overturned," explained Cornelia.

"I...understand," said Euphie slowly, her voice dropping slightly. Cornelia was about to respond but the door crashed open, Guilford holding the handle in a vice like grip.

"Princess Cornelia, come quickly!" he nearly shouted.

"What's the matter Guilford?" asked Cornelia as both she and Euphemia got to their feet.

"What's going on?" asked Nunnally hoping for an answer.

"The doctors..." started Guilford but that was all that he needed as Cornelia marched out of the room with full intent. Euphemia quickly moved to follow but her attention turned to her sister and knew that her place needed to be beside Nunnally at this time.

...

"So what now?" asked Shirley, awkwardly looking around at her captors. While she wouldn't call herself a prisoner in this situation she knew better than to admit that she was free to leave at anytime.

"What now, what now!" shouted Tamaki. "Because of you being down the harbour we're in this mess to begin with!"

"That's a false accusation and you know it," shouted Kallen on behalf of her school friend which startled Shirley slightly. "Yet Shirley does raise a good point, what do we do now?"

For the longest of moments, the remaining members of the Black Knights looked back and forth amongst one another as if hoping somebody had the answer that they all wanted to hear. Yet it was the green haired woman who spoke, "All we can do is wait and see how the world begins to turn."

...

As Cornelia entered the small medical room it was clear what had happened by the sheer amount of blood on the ground. In the corner, Darlton had restrained a doctor to the point of unconsciousness, the doctor having taken it upon himself to deal damage to the enemy of Britannia and while in a sense this was the loyal thing to do for the country, under the circumstances it was more than annoying. Cornelia's attention shifted to Lelouch who had fallen off the medical table, a large gash in his back which she could immediately tell would kill the boy if treatment wasn't immediately administered. Yet none of the doctors were there trying to heal the wound but rather Sayoko and Suzaku were doing their best to stop the flow of blood. Cornelia's attention shifted to the wall where the three other doctors stood, none of which were moving to help the fallen form of Zero.

"Help him, immediately," she commanded, her voice full of malice.

"We refuse," stated one of the doctors, his two companions on either side nodding in agreement. Cornelia wanted to shout and argue and force them to do what she wished but what proof could she pull, it was too early to pull the "that's the former prince of Britannia" card. Seeing no other option, she knelt down beside Lelouch and wondered how she could best help her brother. "Darlton, get everybody who will receive punishment out of here!" commanded Cornelia, the commanding officer nodding as he herded the doctors out of the room with due haste. "Maid, go down the hallway and fetch some clean towels, we need to slow down the flow of blood as quickly as possible."

"Right away," said Sayoko obediently as she leapt to her feet.

"Hold in there buddy," said Suzaku as he held his shirt over the wound, the fabric having turned red with blood. With whatever strength Lelouch had left, he raised an arm and gripped the cabinet which had held all of the doctors supplies in it. Before Cornelia had the time to tell him to save his strength, he pulled down on the cabinet causing it to fall over, spilling supplies in all directions. A resounding crack was the reassurance he needed as he lifted his head, noticing the broken mirror he needed. With renewed vigour, he gripped the mirror and looked at the shattered reflection of himself. Suzaku and Cornelia looked at the mirror with confusion, some of the shards bent awkwardly which allowed them to look directly at Lelouch's eye as it seemed to morph before them.

"LIVE!"

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Astrocitizen: confusion cleared up as it seems**

**Dw7: That's a really extensive one shot idea you put forth, not sure how I'd tackle something of that magnitude**

**Peace out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

**...**

Medically, theoretically, he should be dead. He was well aware of this. He didn't know whether or not his command had allowed him the extra few minutes of life that allowed Sayoko to do a botch job of stitching together his wound. He recalled that she had always treated himself and Nunnally for any injuries that they had gathered, but wasn't aware that her level of skill was decent enough to use the utensils available to seal the gash in his back. He would have to question her at some stage to find out the extent of her abilities and whether or not she would be a good agent for the Black Knights somewhere down the track.

"We should be thankful that you are alive," said Cornelia, rubbing her forehead slightly. Since the procedure she had been enduring what could be described as an intolerable headache that only seemed to get worse the more she tried to think about it, as if the reason it existed was erased from her mind. Maybe she just needed a lie down. Despite that, she still had to figure out what to do with the doctors that had disobeyed a direct order, needless to say that they would wish they had never done such a thing by the time she was done with them.

"Perhaps; perhaps though it would have been the best for the world if Zero had died within the confines of the Britannian Embassy," stated Lelouch as his mind began to work out the possibilities of what lay ahead. Suzaku flinched slightly from his corner as he contemplated what could have happened if Guilford had arrived only seconds after he actually had. His eyes drifted over to where Nunnally sat, the young girl's fingers interlaced with Euphemia's digits; both of them had been shocked severely by the recent event.

"Don't say that," said Cornelia trying to sound assertive but her voice wavered slightly. She had gone all of this time without knowing that her brother and sister were still alive, the entire world still thought that they were dead. All everybody knew was that Britannia had captured Zero. The face was known across the globe, but the name matching the face however was still unknown to the general populace minus those who Lelouch had made friends with over the years. The world wanted him dead, that much was obvious.

A flash lit across her eyes as a plausible idea came into her mind, announcing to the world that Zero had actually died within the Embassy shortly after his man on the inside had tried to save him. It meant that Lelouch would be locked away in social isolation for the rest of his life, but at least that would result in him still being alive. "Cornelia-sama," announced Darlton as he entered the room.

"What is it Darlton?" asked Cornelia breaking her train of thought.

"His highness requests your presence," explained Darlton which forced the princess to her feet. "Also," he continued before Cornelia could head towards the door, "he requests the presence of Lelouch."

In a split second, Lelouch's eyes became menacing. The thought of confronting his father face to face made his blood began to boil as his fingernails began to cut into the skin on his palm. "Nii-san," whispered Nunnally, wondering what was going through her brother's mind. Yet a single thought was running both his mind and the mind of Cornelia, how did their father know about Lelouch being alive?

The sound of Lelouch's chair being pushed across the ground was almost deafening considering that no other noise was made. A slow nod was all the communication that the lone brother had with his elder sister as the two made their way out the door. "Suzaku-san, is nii-san alright?" asked Nunnally turning her head to where she believed her friend stood.

"He'll be fine," said Suzaku in the most comforting voice he could muster. Yet when he watched Lelouch walking just before, his keen eyes were able to pick up the small changes in his walking pattern, showing that the black haired boy was suffering greatly but was doing his best not to vocalise it in front of his sister. Euphemia could quickly pick up on what Suzaku was hinting towards and gave Nunnally's hands a light squeeze which brought a soft smile to the blind girl's face despite the situation at hand.

Out in the hallway was a different matter however, as a painful grunt escaped Lelouch's lips as he leant against the wall for support. Each step caused a world of pain to rush through his body and his sister wasn't blind to the matter. "Please Lelouch, let me help you," she pleaded as she reached for his spare arm which he brushed to the side.

"The first time," said Lelouch through gritted teeth as his gaze bore straight forward, "That I see the emperor since my banishment; I do not wish to be seen as helpless." Cornelia was able to understand the pride within his words as they entered the lounge area, where a large television screen displayed the face of the emperor looking down at them.

"It seems my son has returned," said Charles, his eyes cold and concentrated. "Not only that but he raised his hand against me, the former prince of Britannia, Lelouch vi Britannia. It's been a while, my son."

"In your eyes, I doubt that I am considered your son," stated Lelouch, earning a shrewd look from Cornelia. "More likely I am a mere pawn for you to use at your disposal now."

"For raising you hand against the holy empire, your life became immediately forfeit," said Charles calmly.

"So go ahead, have me killed," said Lelouch, hoping to bear the burden on his own shoulders rather than try and drag Nunnally into the situation. After all, that was the whole reason why they had never reappeared into society, in order to prevent Nunnally from being used as a tool.

"Your life forfeit and your death are not the same thing," said Charles which caused both of his children's eyes to widen.

"Father, what have you planned?" asked Cornelia as she looked up at the screen.

"To kill him now would make a martyr out of him," explained Charles. "Numbers will rise up against us and the turmoil resulting would be devastating. I will not go down in history as the Emperor that conquered the world only to see it burnt to the ground."

"So you would rather the world be burnt by your hand rather than the hands of others," said Lelouch which caused Charles to smirk at his son.

"It seems you still have a vicious tongue on you," said the emperor. "That is good, because it is your tongue that shall quell the blaze before it begins."

"My lord, what will you have Lelouch do?" asked Cornelia.

"Tomorrow he shall speak to the world, in plain sight where his companions would have a chance of rescuing him," said Charles. "In front of his audience, he will speak to the population of his origin, his past and how he was a fool to challenge the might of the empire. You will destroy the hope that you gave the Elevens before begging for forgiveness to those whose lives you and your underlings took along with the thousands of families you crippled. In front of the world, only then will you be publically executed."

Cornelia couldn't help but admire what her father had planned, but as she turned towards Lelouch she could instantly tell that the boy had no such admiration to go along with this plan. She knew he didn't care about his own death, he had said so himself not a minute earlier, but to effectively eradicate all rebellion within the country with a single speech would be cripple him more than any injury ever could. To watch your own organization, and the hope he brought to hundreds of thousands of people, come crashing down by his own voice would destroy him mentally before his body was torn asunder.

"Why would I destroy the rebellion that I helped create?" asked Lelouch. "What prevents me from simply standing out there and allowing some lone vigilante to kill me without saying a word?"

"Because if you do not crush their spirit, then it is not death that you shall receive but life imprisonment, the life that would end however will be Nunnally's."

"You fiend, you would bring Nunnally into this!" shouted Lelouch before covering his mouth in a coughing fit, fresh blood spraying onto his hands.

"It is your choice Lelouch, the continuation of your rebellion, or the life of your sister, which do you deem more important?" With that the transmission was cut as Lelouch dropped to his knees, a mixture of pain and anger forcing his body to collapse momentarily.

"Lelouch," cried Cornelia as she rushed to her brother's side, this time he didn't push her to the side as he grit his teeth together.

"Cornelia," said Lelouch as he lifted his head slightly. "Will you honour your brother's final request?"

"I will," said Cornelia but knew that there was a possibility that honouring the words her brother spoke of would in turn force her to disobey the commands of her father.

"No matter what happens, protect Nunnally," said Lelouch which made Cornelia swallow nervously. She had known that this would have been Lelouch's answer which made her pray that tomorrow her brother chose to obey their father's words. She couldn't tell whether or not Charles was telling the truth about whether or not Nunnally's life would be in danger but it wasn't particularly something she wanted to risk.

"I will do what I can," said Cornelia trying to be as reassuring as possible. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

The silence she received in turn wasn't convincing in any way.

...

Lelouch sat within his cell as the pale moonlight caressed the metal bars that surrounded him, possibility after possibility flowing through his head as he tried to think of anything that could create a benefit out of nothing. One way or another, he knew his life was either going to end or it would not be worth living yet that was not the most dramatic part. He had to be careful, because it was not only his life in danger.

"Nunnally," he whispered softly, knowing that his actions tomorrow would determine the fate of his sister. He wasn't sure whether or not Charles had been serious but nonetheless the threat had been made. He knew he could trust Cornelia to a certain degree but there was only so much that she would be able to accomplish. If Euphemia learnt of this she would beg for the emperor's forgiveness so that the blind girl would be spared. Knowing his father, it was likely that the emperor had some grand scheme in play, one that would likely come to the surface whether or not Lelouch was still breathing in a day's time. Looking out the bared window, he knew he had to make a decision and make it quickly.

"Hmph, look at you," snarled the guard from nearby, watching the pitiful form of Lelouch sprawled on the ground. "Britannia's greatest threat, rendered helpless within the confines of his enemy. I hear that you have to give the world an apology for the actions you've caused tomorrow. You know, if you ask me nicely, I can spare you that pain by killing you now. Taking the head of Zero would make me a hero; I'd be willing to do it anytime of any day."

Lelouch's eyes went wide as a previously unthought-of idea crept into his mind as he turned his head towards the guard, his eye flashing red.

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Peace out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass**

**...**

For Diethard Reid, what had been an enjoyable night of sleep had been abruptly ruined in the early hours of the morning by somebody slamming on his front door. Through half peering eyes, he noticed that the clock sitting on his bedside table stated that the time hadn't even ticked over to three in the morning. Rolling over, he pulled the blanket covering his chest closer to his body, hoping that the person banging on his door simply left him alone. It was not to be however and after being able to withstand the banging on the door for five minutes the Britannian found himself storming down his stairs in a fit of anger, ready to give whoever had awoken him a piece of his mind.

Unlocking the door, he swung it open but caught himself before he managed to shout anything as he noticed that in front of him stood a member of the Britannian military. "Can I help you with anything?" asked Diethard as he managed to control his emotions. The soldier didn't say anything however as he held out a letter which Diethard cautiously took while switching on a nearby light allowing him to see a little clearer. Opening up the letter, as he read through the contents his eyes grew wider and wider as he realised just who the letter was from and what it was asking from him. Looking up he wished to ask the military man a couple of questions but the soldier had already left, his job partially done as red clines circulated around his eyes.

Closing the door, Diethard reread over the information in front of him and his thoughts went towards Zero which made him wonder just how far the web of the Black Knights spread. Yet the instructions in front of him were clear as he set himself a course, not back to the inviting bedspread he had laid upon for hours already, but to his study where he knew there was work to be done. "Zero," he muttered as he booted his computer to life, knowing that it was his job to ensure the world witnessed whatever it was that Zero had planned.

...

Through a lone corridor, Lelouch stood isolated, the mask of Zero held firmly in his hand. In front of him was hundreds if not thousands of people, waiting to see what the criminal had to say; the only thing preventing him from getting torn to shreds as soon as he stepped out there was three inches of bulletproof glass. That being said he couldn't pull himself to turn around to look at the people standing behind him.

Cornelia, Suzaku, Sayoko, Euphemia and even Cornelia were standing nearby, each of them supportive in their own way but none were able to speak. What could they say to soften the moment when Lelouch confronted people who wanted nothing more than to hear the answer to "Why?" Cornelia's face held more confusion in its features than concern, knowing that Lelouch simply wouldn't abide by what her father had wished. Turning her attention towards her crippled relative, she knew she would do everything in her power to ensure nothing would happen to Nunnally, even if it meant that she had to take the life of Lelouch herself. She had figured that that was what Lelouch had been referring to the previous night and she knew that if Lelouch was dead then there was no reason for the life of Nunnally to be taken as well. Despite the two siblings being only a handful of metres apart she knew that the younger of the two was a hostage, even if she didn't seem like one.

"Everything's ready," stated a voice over an intercom. For a brief moment Lelouch considered turning tail and running, casting his Geass on everybody he laid eyes on and leaving the world to wonder how the most wanted criminal in the world had single handily defeated an entire military headquarters without so much as a scratch on him. Yet looking over his shoulder momentarily he instantly knew why. With Nunnally sitting there, he knew that even if he escaped she would take the fall for him but what was worse, was knowing that the last memory that she would have of him as her brother was a coward who ran away at the last moment. Turning back towards his final destination, he slowly stepped forward knowing that he would do what was right by him.

...

The crowd outside was packed, hundreds of people lined the street both of Britannian origin and those people categorised by a number. Everybody was surrounding a wooden stage that had been constructed only the previous night, yet solid bulletproof glass panes blocked anybody from getting closer. Hardly and words were spoken between people as they all eagerly awaited the arrival of Zero. Many were there to get their questions answered, as to why a Britannian civilian would strike out at his kinsmen. The Elevens were there to see their hero, the man who despite his race had stood up for them when nobody else would.

Among the crowd were the remaining members of the Black Knights, those who still had faith in their leader. While Kallen had been able to get close to the glass because of her appearance as a full Britannian, the rest of the Black Knights had been herded off into the far reaches with the rest of the Elevens. Alongside Kallen was Shirley, the orange haired teenager wanting to know the reasoning behind why Lelouch had murdered her father along with countless other people. Yet deep down she knew that while she had grown to love the person she had seen at school day after day, she had to question just who Lelouch was.

Even the wind seemed to stop blowing as a solitary footstep was heard from the tunnel which harboured Zero. "Do...do we have a plan?" asked Shirley nervously.

"No," said Kallen plainly, her eyes not leaving the tunnel for a second.

"But, what if..." started Shirley but she was cut off by her counterpart.

"If Zero has a plan to escape already in action and we haven't been told then we don't need to be ready to act," said Kallen sternly.

"Why don't you call him Lelouch already?" asked Shirley, wondering why Kallen was so against using their friend's name.

"Because I don't have respect for Lelouch, I have respect for Zero," stated Kallen. While Shirley dropped into silence as she turned towards the stage, Kallen took this moment to analyse what she had just said. Did it really matter who was behind the mask, or was it the actions produced by Lelouch whilst under the guise of Zero that had allowed her to follow him? She recalled that on the evening of his capture by the Britannian military she had walked in on him in a hanger and had the opportunity to look at just who Zero was. Yet at that moment she had realised that it truly didn't matter who Zero was...or at least that was what her thinking was at the time. Now that she actually knew who Zero was and how he was actually a part of her school life, she had no idea what to think at the moment, but knew her thoughts would be clear once she heard him address the crowd.

"Is camera three ready?" asked Diethard as he stood upon an observation deck, several monitoring screens displayed in front of him.

"It's all good sir," said one of the men nearby. Diethard held back a yawn, the project he had been working on in the middle of the morning having taken a bit longer than he had anticipated but he knew that if Zero was truly planning something then it would all be worthwhile.

"Alright then, begin broadcasting on all available networks," commanded Diethard, the men following his instructions perfectly. Diethard took a quick look at the five cameras that they were using for the broadcast that spread around in places where the general populace couldn't touch them. Not only that but the cameras had been fixed in place to ensure that nothing would go wrong in case somebody wanted to block the line of view when the broadcast began.

...

All across the world, people tuned into their television stations no matter what time of the day it was. People huddled in bars and taverns, many of them not wanting to be by themselves when they witnessed Zero's final speech. In the throne room in Britannia, Emperor Charles vi Britannia watched on in wonderment at what his wayward son would do.

In a lone bar in area Eleven, Viletta watched on intensely. Indeed she had been rewarded quite handsomely for her effort in capturing Zero but with that being said she still felt like something was off. After having actually seen his face plastered everywhere over the last day, there was still one question she believed that still needed to be answered. That boy had been the one she had seen at the Shinjuku ghetto back before the character of Zero had even emerged. While she didn't really care as to why a Britannian student had become Zero, she had to wonder about one incident in particular where a part of her memory was wiped clean. One minute she had been standing in front of her Knightmare with a pistol aimed at the teenager and the next both the boy and her Knightmare had gone. There had been numerous reports about similar occurrences but most of them went mostly unnoticed by those in higher office but she knew something was wrong with the whole situation. Yet even with all the newfound power, the public interviews from radio, television and even newspaper personalities, she wouldn't be satisfied until either she knew everything about the boy or he was dead and his secrets would go with him to the grave.

In their hidden area, the members of Kyoto watched on to see what would happen once Zero had taken the stage. They had lost their faith in the Black Knights after the capture of Zero but wanted to know whether or not their once faceless wonder would be able to create another spectacle for them to behold. Lord Kirihara, being the only one among the group to know of the actual identity of Lelouch was pondering whether or not the boy had anything left up his sleeve, the resources at his disposal all but vanquished. Closing his eyes, a small prayer began to escape his lips as he wished for a miracle to happen for the boy he once saw as a grandson.

...

For Lelouch, those few steps felt like they had dragged on for hours on end. When he had finally made his way out of the dark hallway and into the sunlight he stood before a crowd of hundreds if not thousands. Unmasked and before people who hated him, he gently placed the mask of Zero down upon a pedestal in front of him. As soon as the mask had hit the wood the crowd erupted into a riotous frenzy as people shouted all manner of profanities at him. He paid none of them in mind however, as he knew that before his speech would finish he would become a martyr for millions who would be watching the broadcast. Turning his attention towards a rooftop, he internally smiled at the sight of the guard he had Geassed hours earlier, the man still holding a trigger in his hand, a trigger that would set off the explosives Lelouch had made him plant under the platform just before it had finished construction.

...

**Hope you enjoyed. Sorry about the delay.**

**I know this probably wasn't the update you were hoping for but I'm just glad that I'm able to motivate myself to write another chapter of this story.**

**Astrocitizen: Those two are merely the main characters, there shall be no shipping between the two of them.**

**Chronodekar: I write only when I can afford to write and I can't really spend time to sit down and bang out a 10k chapter. I do what I can and I'm sorry if this is too little for you but if you look at it, you're asking for me to write a chapter that is roughly the same number of words as the rest of the story...yea not going to happen.**

**I'll try to update sooner this time.**

**Peace.**


End file.
